Equipment powered by rotating prime movers is commonplace in both industrial and domestic settings. While such prime movers provide efficient sources of operating power, they have the drawback of imparting unwanted vibration to the equipment and supporting frames to which they are attached. The unwanted vibration can lead to metal fatigue and reduction of the life span of the machine. Moreover, the vibrations often result in unwanted movement of the equipment over the ground, floor or other support surface while the equipment is being operated. While movement of the equipment or machinery can be prevented by securing the support assembly that the equipment is mounted on to the ground, floor or other operating surface, the need to secure and unsecure portable equipment to its operating surface before and after it is operated detracts from the very portability for which the equipment is designed.
Shredding equipment used for grinding bushes, branches, or other organic matter into small pieces is an example of a self-powered, vibrating piece of equipment. Representative designs of such shredding equipment are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,240,247, 3,861,603, 3,907,216, 4,773,601, and 5,018,672. As will be appreciated, shredding equipment must be portable so as to be transportable from job site to job site where shredding is to be accomplished. The source of operating power for such shredding machines is generally an internal combustion engine. The vibration imparted to the shredder by the operation of the engine, as well as the vibration caused by the shredding assembly of the machine, can cause unwanted and dangerous movement of the shredder along the ground as it is operated.
A mounting assembly for mounting vibrating machinery to a portable frame that would enable the machinery to operate without vibration-induced movement over the ground, floor or other operating surface would provide decided advantages.